Not Always Perfect
by Shire hobbit
Summary: Frodo is injured after a bad accident. Chapter 17: Frodo wants another attempt at having a perfect day; perhaps it will happen this time... maybe?
1. Chapter One

* * The characters, places, etc… are not mine (though I wish Frodo was!).

I hope you like it…

~~~~~~~~~~

Frodo sat outside the door of Bag End, thinking. Today was a special day; at least, to him it was. Exactly one year ago today, he had moved into Bag End. He had been so excited then, and even now, was pleased he could live with Bilbo.

It was almost noon, and the day had gone on fairly average. But Frodo was feeling happy today; more than usual, and he wanted to do something different. He saw the day as special, and therefore, wanted to celebrate. He decided to go see what Bilbo thought.

Getting up, he opened the door, and proceeded to look for Bilbo. Frodo looked throughout Bag End, but couldn't find him. Finally, he noticed the door to Bilbo's Study was closed. Writing seemed to be one of Bilbo's hobbies, and Frodo knew not to disturb him when he was busy. But why would he write today? Maybe he didn't realize the day, or what it meant to Frodo.

Smiling to himself, Frodo slowly, quietly opened the door. Peeking in, his suspicions were confirmed - Bilbo was working. Frodo suddenly felt…forgotten. How could Bilbo spend this day writing? But, it was something Bilbo loved doing, so Frodo decided to leave him alone.

"Bilbo, I think I'm going to go out for a while," Frodo informed him.

"Yes, yes, alright," Bilbo replied, apparently caught up in what he was doing. "Have fun."

Frodo stared at Bilbo for a moment, before going over to the bookcase. After choosing a book which he hadn't finished yet, he quietly left the room. He headed out the door, and started down the walkway, but suddenly stopped. Staring at the book in his hands, he realized, this wasn't what he really wanted to do. He could go out and read any day. What he really wanted, was to spend time with Bilbo. Heaving a sigh, he tried to think of something to do. He looked around at the familiar landscape, as if there would be an answer hidden there.

Finally, after some thinking, he came up with an idea. Turning around, he headed back up the walk. Going back into the Study, he was not so quiet this time. He walked over to Bilbo, and put his hands on the desk, leaning against it.

"What are you writing about?" Frodo asked, interested.

"Hmm?" Bilbo asked, startled from his thoughts. "Oh, just this and that," Bilbo told him. "Whatever I think of…"

Frodo leaned over more, his elbows now on the desk, and his chin resting in his hands. "And what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing specific, really," Bilbo said, looking up at Frodo.

"Oh," Frodo smiled. "Can I see?"

"Sure," Bilbo turned his paper so Frodo could see it. "But it really isn't much."

Frodo stared down at the mixed drabble. Bilbo apparently wasn't writing anything specific, just jotting down his thoughts. So that, perhaps later, he could put them together and create a story. But, as of yet, none of it made much sense - at least, not to Frodo. He gave it back to Bilbo.

Bilbo stared at Frodo for a moment, wondering about his mood. Frodo was acting a bit strange today, and he seemed rather attentive. "What's on your mind?"

"Oh, I just…" Frodo shrugged. "Do you want to do something today? I mean, you've been in here all morning; how about coming outside? It's a wonderful day!"

"Alright," Bilbo set his pen down. "Why don't I fix us some food, and we can have a picnic down by the lake?" he suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea," Frodo agreed. "Can I help with the food?"

"Sure," Bilbo stood up, and headed for the door. "Oh, and Frodo…" he turned around to face him. A small smile grew on his lips, "When I first invited you to come live here, I wasn't so sure about it. But as soon as you came here, I knew it was a good decision." He turned, and again, headed for the door.

Frodo stood in awe. So Bilbo had remembered, after all!

"Well, come along," Bilbo said, before leaving the room.

"Yes, I'm coming," Frodo replied, smiling, as he followed Bilbo to the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~

Frodo and Bilbo sat near a rushing brook. They had planned to picnic at the lake, but when they saw this place, it seemed like a great place.

"Do you want to play a game?" Frodo suddenly asked.

"Well, like what?" Bilbo asked.

"I don't know," Frodo said, thinking. "It was just a suggestion."

"Well… now that we've finished eating," Bilbo suggested. "Why don't we go over to the lake, and you can swim, if you'd like."

"Oh…" Frodo said slowly. They could at least go to the lake, though he didn't like the idea of swimming, it made him squirmish. "Alright," he agreed.

They gathered up all their things, and started heading for the lake. Suddenly, Frodo hurried up beside Bilbo, and looked at him. A grin was on Frodo's face, and his eyes shone with excitement.

"I'll race you…" Frodo said to him, ready to run ahead. Seeing that Bilbo was about to protest, he laughed, and started running.

"No, No, Frodo," Bilbo called after him. Frodo turned around, still laughing. He seemed to be waiting for Bilbo, but as soon as he got a little close, Frodo smiled and called out, "Come on!" Then he took off again.

"Oh…" Bilbo said to himself; he shouldn't be running around at his age! However, he couldn't help but smile, and took off after Frodo.

Frodo looked over his shoulder, and smiled as he saw Bilbo following. This day may have started out average, but it wasn't anymore. It seemed, to Frodo, as if nothing could ruin their fun. This day had become simply perfect…

~~~~~~~~~~

To Be Continued


	2. Chapter Two

* * * I'm very sorry for not updating this story in over a month! But I hope this is okay, and that you all like it!! * * *

Once Frodo and Bilbo had reached the lake, they kept on playing running games. After a while, Bilbo sat down to catch his breath, and Frodo laid down beside him, watching the clouds. Bilbo did so, as well, trying to guess the cloud shapes.

Once they grew tired of that, Bilbo announced he was going to relax for a bit, and Frodo agreed to leave him alone. Frodo climbed up a tree, and admired the view of the lake. Sitting on a branch, and leaning against the tree trunk, he simply enjoyed the peace and quiet. Finally, he let nature lull him into a light sleep……

All that could be heard was the constant lapping of the lake, as it's waves washed up on the shore, and the sounds of the trees rustling in the wind. Neither of the sleeping hobbits noticed when the sun slowly slipped behind some clouds.

Upon hearing a loud boom, Frodo awoke with a start. Losing his balance, he almost slipped out of the tree, but quickly caught onto a branch. Looking out across the lake, he saw a strange sight. In the distance, he could make out a funnel-like shape coming out of the clouds. There was another clap of thunder, and as if it tore a hole in the cloud, rain suddenly started falling heavily.

After quickly climbing down from the tree, he ran over to Bilbo, and knelt down next to him.

"Bilbo, wake up," Frodo said urgently, though the rain seemed to be waking him up, anyway. "We have to leave; we have to go home now."

"Hmm?" Bilbo mumbled, now fully aware of what was happening. "Yes, let's go." He stood up and started running toward home, with Frodo not far behind.

They ran as fast as they could, but they were both still worn out from their games. They grew tired rather quickly, though they tried not to slow their pace too much. Upon reaching the top of a small hill, they looked around, but it was almost impossible to see very far through the heavy rain; though they could see a small break in the grassy plain, which they figured would be the road. Frodo felt more hopeful, as he realized that home wouldn't be much further.

"Come on, Bilbo," he said encouragingly. "We're almost there…" something on the road caught his attention. What was that? Oh, it was cart! Someone else had been caught in the storm, and were now rushing home. Whoever it was, they were heading in the same direction as Bilbo and Frodo. Bilbo noticed it, too.

"Hurry," he said, nudging Frodo's arm. "Let's go see if they'll give us a ride."

Frodo nodded in agreement, and took off ahead of Bilbo. Frodo's heart sunk as he realized the cart would be way up the road, before he could reach it. But wait… was it slowing down? The hobbit driving it stood up, and waved to Frodo and Bilbo.

"Awful storm to be caught in," the driver told them, once they reached the cart. He didn't look too old, maybe in his tweens. "Get in, I'll give you a ride. My name's Michael." He looked back and realized his cart was almost completely full of supplies he had just bought. "It doesn't look like there's enough room, so one of you can sit up here."

Bilbo looked to Frodo questioningly. Frodo shrugged, now was not the time to be picky about which seat he wanted! Smiling, he nodded towards the back of the cart.

"That's very kind of you," Bilbo said thankfully, climbing up next to Michael.

"Yes," Frodo agreed, as he climbed into the back, carefully stepping around the ropes which held everything down. "Thank you."

"Well, you looked like you wanted a ride," Michael nodded, and started his horses again. The road was quickly turning from dirt to mud, and he grimaced as the horses sloshed around in it. "You live far from here?"

"No, we live at Bag End," Bilbo informed him. "Which is, in fact, right on this road."

Michael got his horses to start going faster, though he didn't like the way they were slipping in the mud - and the rain was only making it worse! After going for a while, he leaned forward, trying to see farther. It was awful hard to tell, but he could make out a turn in the road. He tried slowing his horses down, but another bright flash of lightning, and loud crack of thunder scared them, and they started running faster. He looked forward; was it too late, could he slow them down in time – he had to try! If he couldn't, he knew what would happen, or at least he could guess.

He did everything he could to stop the horses, but they were too frightened. By now, certainly, it was too late. Finally, admitting he could do no more, he turned and gave a warning to the others.

"Get out!" he called to Frodo and Bilbo. Then he turned, and slowly, reluctantly, jumped off the cart. But the sounds of the pouring rain, and horses galloping overcame his voice, and neither hobbit could tell what he had said.

"What?-- Wait!" Bilbo called out to him, just as he jumped. Confused, he took the reigns and started pulling on them, wishing for the horses to stop. He was successful in slowing them down, just as they rounded the turn. However, the horses may have slowed down, but the cart wheels kept sliding in the mud. This caused the cart to slip over the side of the road, and fall on it's side. From there, it continued to roll down a hill. There was a sudden crack and a loud snap, as the wood on the front broke, allowing the horses to run away.

As soon as the cart had tipped, Bilbo was thrown off the seat. Quickly, he crawled away from the unstable cart, slightly aware of a pain in his wrist.

Frodo grabbed on to the side, and closed his eyes, hoping it would be over soon. As the cart landed on it's side, Frodo was forcefully thrown against the side of the cart, and he cried out as pain ripped through his side and arm. Frodo's hand balled into a fist as he tried to ignore the pain, and focus on what was going on. But he was unsuccessful, because he didn't feel the cart leaning to one side, as it was on it's way to falling again. At last, as the cart's other side landed on the ground, Frodo felt himself rushing down. A flash of pain in his leg was the last thing he knew before bumping his head on something; spots appeared before his eyes as he drifted into unconsciousness.

Bilbo watched helplessly as the cart toppled down the hill, landing upside down. Finally, when it was not tipping, he hurried over to it.

"Frodo!" he called out, hoping for an answer. Nothing. "Frodo, are you alright?" he tried again. Still nothing. Fear gripped at his heart as he tried calming himself. _It's alright. He cannot hear me, that's all!_ "Help me lift it up," he said to Michael. Michael nodded and started lifting the cart. It was extremely heavy, but slowly, they managed it.

"I've got it," Michael told Bilbo. "Get him out." As Bilbo let go, Michael felt the true weight of the cart. "But make it quick," he added.

Bilbo hurriedly crawled under. He saw Frodo immediately, and reached out to pull him, but Frodo's leg seemed to be caught in a rope. Grabbing the rope, he nudged it a little, until finally, it let go.

Michael felt as if the cart was getting heavier; his muscles felt as if they were about to give up. "Come on," he gasped. "Make it quick," he repeated. "I can't…hold…much…longer--" After what seemed like several minutes, he saw Bilbo coming out, pulling Frodo along with him. Michael's relief at seeing them both almost made him drop the cart. Finally, they were both completely out of the way. Sighing, Michael dropped to his knees, and let the cart fall back to the ground.

"Is he alright?" Michael asked about Frodo.

"I don't know," Bilbo shook his head in confusion. He sure hoped Frodo was alright! "I should try to get him home, it's not much further."

Michael nodded in agreement, "I'll get a doctor." He stood up slowly, took a deep breath, and started back down the road.

"Come on," Bilbo stared, worried, at the unconscious Frodo cradled in his arms. He stood up, hoping Frodo wasn't hurt too badly, "Let's go home…"

~~~~~

To Be Continued


	3. Chapter Three

~* Hello all! Again, I am extremely sorry for not updating in quite a while . . almost two months this time! I'll definitely try to update more often! But for now, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! :~D *~  
  
Bilbo was relieved when he finally reached the door to Bag End. Though, with Frodo in his arms, he wondered how he was going to unlock it. He glanced around, as if looking for help; but of course, who would be crazy enough to be out in this weather?  
  
Gently, he set Frodo down, and felt in his pocket for the key. But he couldn't find it. Where was it? Did he leave it inside? He hoped not! He began to panic, would they be stuck out here in the pouring rain? He searched and searched, until finally, he felt a little piece of metal - ah, there it was; he just had to go deeper into his pocket! He sighed as he slipped the key into the hole, then shoved the door opened. Going back to Frodo, he picked him up and headed for his bedroom.  
  
"We've got to get you dried off," he shook his head as he set Frodo in a chair; his own wet discomfort forgotten for the moment. Going over to the dresser, he pulled out a nightshirt, then grabbed a dry cloth off Frodo's nightstand.  
  
Using the cloth, he wiped away some blood, which was dripping out of a cut on Frodo's forehead. Frodo flinched at the touch.  
  
"There, that's better," he muttered to himself once the blood was wiped away. Then he began to unbutton Frodo's shirt, removing the wet clothes. He gasped sharply, as a sudden pain shot through his wrist. Yes, he had felt that after he was thrown from the cart. He shook his head. . . that didn't matter right now, he'd think about it later. As the pain went away, he continued what he had been doing.  
  
He noticed Frodo's arm was slightly swollen, as was his knee. But his eyes widened as he noticed an ugly bruise forming on Frodo's chest. He closed his eyes and, again, hoped Frodo was alright.  
  
Frodo groaned quietly as Bilbo began to slip the nightshirt onto him.  
  
"Frodo?" Bilbo asked quietly, hoping Frodo was waking up.  
  
Frodo drew in a deep breath, "Hmm?" he groaned again.  
  
"Frodo, are you alright? How do you feel?" Bilbo asked anxiously.  
  
Frodo slowly opened his eyes and focused them on Bilbo. "I. . .I fe--I think. . ." he sighed, "I don't know. . .it hurts lots of places."  
  
Bilbo looked down as Frodo closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep. He wasn't upset with Frodo, but with the whole situation. Today was a special day, it was supposed to be nice and they were supposed to be having fun. . . not a day filled with worry, which, unfortunately, it was!  
  
Bilbo lifted Frodo and carried him across the room, to his bed. Slipping him in, he covered him up, hoping to get him warm. Frodo may have been dry, but now he was shivering slightly.  
  
Bilbo was anxious and worried. What should he do now? Waiting for the doctor was not a pleasant thought. How long would it be before he arrived? Would it be a long time? Should Bilbo attempt to look at Frodo himself? No, no; he shook his head at that thought; he wouldn't know what he was doing. He would just have to wait for the doctor. In the meantime, he would do his best to make Frodo feel better. Maybe when Frodo wakes again, he'd like something to eat or drink. . .  
  
Where was the doctor, anyway? It had been quite a while since that other hobbit, Michael, went to get him. A sudden, horrifying thought came to him: what if they didn't know where to go?  
  
"I told him, didn't I?" Bilbo remembered telling Michael where they had lived. So the doctor should know where to go. Relieved, Bilbo sighed and sank down into a chair. But his eyes widened as another thought came to him.  
  
He had never seen Michael before. . .what if he wasn't so honest? What if he said he was going to get help, but instead just walked away? Bilbo shook his head, he would just have to trust that that didn't happen! But the uneasy feeling wouldn't leave.  
  
Sitting there, waiting for a knock on the door, Bilbo felt the pain in his wrist again. It was small, but seemed to be slowly growing. Maybe the doctor should look at it, too. But not until after Frodo. . .Frodo was more important!  
  
Glancing out the window, Bilbo noticed it was somewhat dark. He wondered if it was from the cloud cover, or if it was getting late. He checked his watch; well, it was early evening. Bilbo sighed and looked at Frodo worriedly. . .where was the doctor? He certainly had enough time to come!  
  
Bilbo knew, whatever caused the delay, there was nothing he could do, but wait. . .  
  
~To be continued~ 


	4. Chapter Four

Bilbo waited and waited; but the doctor didn't come for a long while. When he finally arrived the next morning, Bilbo was very impatient and irritated.

"Where have you been?" he asked, trying to remain polite. "We've been waiting since yesterday afternoon!"

"I'm very sorry, and I must ask for your forgiveness," Doctor Grandall replied sympathetically. "The storm yesterday caused a tornado down south of Hobbiton. I've been very busy down there, with other emergencies."

"You didn't know Frodo had been injured?" Bilbo asked curiously.

"Well, yes, yes, I did," the doctor admitted. "That other hobbit – I don't know his name – caught me as I was already on my way out."

"You couldn't spare us a minute?" Bilbo questioned.

"No, as a matter of fact, I couldn't," the doctor replied patiently, understanding Bilbo's anger. "Again, I'm very sorry for not being able to come sooner! I hope the lad was not injured too badly. . ."

Bilbo thought about that; if he was worried, why had he not come? He sighed, not as angry as he had been; he understood that other hobbits had emergencies, too. But he was still feeling rather impateient, and wished the doctor could have been there sooner. Though, actually, Frodo had seemed a bit better that morning.

"Well, you're here now," Bilbo said, forcing a smile and trying not to appear too worried. "Come with me, and you can have a look at Frodo."

"Yes, of course," the doctor nodded.

Bilbo led Doctor Grandall to Frodo's bedroom. Frodo was sitting up, leaning against the headboard. He looked at the two older hobbits as they came in.

"Hello, Frodo," Doctor Grandall greeted him. "How are you feeling?"

Frodo frowned. "Not very good," he groaned.

"Perhaps you can tell me what hurts, then?" the doctor asked.

"Well, my arm hurts most," Frodo informed him. "And my knee, too. . . and my chest," he added.

"Alright then, why don't we start here. . ." Doctor Grandall gently took Frodo's left arm.

"_Where's Mister Frodo and Mister Bilbo?_" they all heard a small voice ask from outside.

"_Nevermind_," they heard the reply. "_They have a right to their own business. If they don't wanna come out and talk, they don't have to!_"

"_But Mister Frodo usually does. . _." the younger voice said, dissappointed.

Frodo smiled, in spite of his pain, "Sam and Mister Gamgee."

"Let them be," Bilbo shook his head. "You can't go out and talk to Sam right now."

"I know. . ." Frodo said glumly; he liked talking to Sam.

The doctor continued looking at Frodo, and when he was finished, advised Frodo to stay in bed for a while. "He's got a fractured arm," he told Bilbo. "And it looks like he's sprained his knee. . . he should stay off it for a while."

Bilbo nodded, "I'll be sure he does." But there was something else on his mind, "That bruise on his chest; there's nothing wrong?"

"Not that I could tell," Doctor Grandall smiled reassuringly. "It's just a bruise, that's all."

"That's good," Bilbo sighed.

The two left Frodo alone, while they went out and discussed things. After giving Bilbo some pain-controlling herbs, the doctor left.

Frodo stared out the window sadly. The sun was shining, and he could feel it's warmth on his face. He wished he could be out there; he'd be content to just sit and read a book, just as long as he could be outside. But no, he had to stay in!

"_Look, look, a butterfly!_" Frodo heard Sam call out to his father.

"_He's a nice one, isn't he?_" his father replied. "_But you should probably get back to work; we don't want to be here all day. . ._"

"_Alright,_" Sam said reluctantly.

"_This garden sure is coming along nicely,_" Sam's father declared, obviously proud of his work.

"_The flowers are getting so big,_" Sam said enthusiatically. _"And they smell so nice!_"

This wasn't helping. Frodo wished the window was shut, or at least they would stop boasting about how nice it was out there! Compared to what they were saying, Frodo felt as if his bedroom were dark and gloomy! He sighed, but of course, they didn't know he was listening, and they didn't know his problem. . .

~ To be continued ~


	5. Chapter Five

* * Hello to the readers! I'm very sorry for not updating this story in such a long time! I'm trying to get more written, so I hope I can update again soon. And, hopefuly, more often! Also, I hope you continue to enjoy this story. . . * *  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Frodo felt himself slowly waking up. He must have slipped off and dozed for a bit. But for how long?  
  
Faintly, he heard voices outside, though he couldn't tell what they said. . .it all just sounded like a lot of mumbling! Frodo propped himself up on his right arm and looked around. He couldn't have been asleep for too long. In fact, he guessed, maybe only an hour or so. . . The voices probably belonged to Hamfast and Sam.  
  
Hearing the doorknob turning, Frodo sat up and leaned against the headboard. When Bilbo walked in, he smiled to see Frodo awake.  
  
"I hope you slept well," he said.  
  
Frodo nodded and gave a small smile. "Actually, I feel much better now," he said, meaning, not so much his injuries, but his mood. "I was upset that I would have to stay inside for a couple of days," Frodo told him. "And though I'd much rather be outside, I'm going to try and enjoy this time as well!"  
  
"Well, that's good!" Bilbo said, surprised. Frodo had seemed so upset and depressed earlier; he had thought he'd have to do a lot of cheering up to get Frodo into this mood. He was glad Frodo felt better. "So, what would you like to do?" Bilbo asked curiously.  
  
Frodo thought for a moment. He couldn't go back to sleep; he wasn't tired anymore! Maybe he could read. . .but later! A low rumble from his stomach alerted him as to how hungry he was. "What time is it?" he asked. "I'm awfully hungry!"  
  
Bilbo got out his watch and glanced at it. "Well, it's just about time for elevensies," he said. "Would you like me to make anything special?"  
  
Frodo thought about it, but when nothing came to mind, he shook his head.  
  
Bilbo nodded knowingly, "Well, if you think of something you'd like, you can have it for luncheon, alright?" He didn't mention anything, but he was already making special plans for later. He knew Frodo was trying to make the best of his situation, but he also knew Frodo could grow restless very quickly! "Would you like to read while I'm gone?" he offered. "I'll go and get you a book. . ."  
  
"Well, I would," Frodo replied slowly. "But I don't know what I want to read; o maybe later."  
  
"Why don't I bring a few books," Bilbo suggested. "Then you can choose from them?" Frodo nodded, agreeing. "Good," Bilbo said, heading for the door. "I'll be back in just a moment, then."  
  
Minutes later, Bilbo was back with about half a dozen books. "There now, I'll leave these here," he said, setting them down on Frodo's nightstand. "And I'll go get started making the food. . .are you sure you wouldn't like something special?" he asked once more.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," Frodo said with a smile. "Thank you!"  
  
"Alright," Bilbo said as he turned and left the room.  
  
As soon as the door clicked shut, Frodo sighed. Looking over to the selection of books, reading the titles, he considered the one at the bottom of the stack. He started to make an attempt to get it, but his left arm was in a splint, and still hurt to move it too much. He sat back and sighed, thinking. He knew he could get the book, it would just take a while. Finally, he decided to settle for the book at the top of the pile.  
  
Relaxing, he started to read. Though before long, he grew uncomfortable. It was rather warm outside, and the heat from the sun was making the room awfully hot and stuffy! The window was only halfway open, and the door was shut, preventing the air from circulating through the rest of Bag End.  
  
Frodo sighed and let the book fall to his lap. He slowly shook his head, growing more aggravated at his luck! He wished the window was open more; he wished a breeze would come in and break away the heaviness that seemed to settle in the air. He thought about calling out for Bilbo, but no, he was probably busy, and he'd be back soon anyway. Picking up the book again, Frodo tried concentrating on the story.  
  
It wasn't too long before Bilbo came back, carrying a tray of food. Frodo noticed, curiously, that he seemed to be favoring his left wrist.  
  
"Did you get hurt, too?" Frodo asked.  
  
"Yes, but not quite like you," Bilbo nodded. "You know, we were lucky nothing really serious happened!" Frodo nodded in agreement, then Bilbo motioned to the tray and added with a smile, "I made some mushroom soup; I hope you like it!"  
  
Frodo chuckled, "Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"I also have a surprise for you. . .well, actually, two surprises," Bilbo corrected himself. "But you'll have to wait a bit for the second."  
  
"What are they?" Frodo asked curiously.  
  
"Now, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise," Bilbo told him. "But I might as well show you the first one." Frodo remained quiet, still curious. Bilbo glanced toward the door, and Frodo looked in that direction. When someone else walked into the room, Frodo was delighted to see him. . .it was Sam!  
  
But Sam seemed almost hesitant to go any further. Frodo had just been in an accident the day before; he was probably hurting! What would Sam say? Should he comfort Frodo, or should he just act as if nothing was wrong? Making up his mind that, possibly, a little of both would be appropriate, Sam walked over and smiled.  
  
"Hello, Frodo! I'm sorry to hear you had such a bad day yesterday, but I'm so glad you're alright!" Sam told him. "Well. . .mostly alright!"  
  
"Thank you, Sam," Frodo smiled. "Actually, I'm feeling much better than I was earlier. . ."  
  
Bilbo silently left the room. If Frodo had forgotten, his stomach would soon remind him that he was hungry. Maybe then he'd notice that Bilbo had brought two bowls, knowing that Sam would be there. Bilbo knew Frodo was already in a better mood than he was earlier, but he figured Frodo would enjoy seeing Sam anyway!  
  
~ To Be Continued ~ 


	6. Chapter Six

~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Six  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
". . .it was a couple of years ago," Sam rambled on with a story. "On my birthday, the cake was really good, and I ate too much." Bilbo's second surprise had been an extremely wonderful chocolate cake, hence bringing forth a story from Sam. "Since then, I've never had more than one or two pieces. . .it's hard though, sometimes," Sam admitted. "Especially when it's really good, like this." He cut off another bite, and shoved it into his mouth.  
  
Frodo nodded, agreeing, "Bilbo does make them awfully good!"  
  
Sam watched as Frodo made an effort to get another bite. With his broken arm, he couldn't hold the plate, so he had set it down on his lap. The bite was wobbly on his fork, and Frodo tried to get it to his mouth before it fell off. He failed. It fell into his lap, and he sighed, frustrated, "That's the third time that's happened!"  
  
Tossing the fork onto the bed, he picked up the bite with his fingers, then popped it into his mouth. He shrugged as he licked the frosting off his fingers, "It may be messy, but it works. . ."  
  
"Yes, that's true," Sam laughed at Frodo's silliness.  
  
Frodo chuckled, seeing that his actions amused Sam. A sudden sharp pain tore through Frodo's chest. He gasped, surprised, and started coughing rather roughly.  
  
Sam watched in horror as his friend suddenly went from happiness, to being in pain. "What's wrong?" he asked, clearly worried.  
  
"I--" Frodo tried, in between coughs. Frodo held his chest; each time he coughed, it hurt more and more. Tears formed in his eyes; would this end soon? Finally, the coughing subsided a bit. "I--" he tried again; this time, his voice cracked, and he tried clearing his throat. "I. . . I think. . ." he took a drink from a glass which was placed on his bedside table, and cleared his throat again. "I'm always forgetting that certain things make the bruise on my chest hurt," Frodo told him. He shook his head, "I probably should not have started laughing."  
  
"Are you sure that's it?" Sam asked, still very worried. "Are you alright?"  
  
Frodo smiled, though he didn't feel quite as good as he had a moment ago, "Yes, Sam, I'm fine now."  
  
Sam stared at Frodo curiously. Ever since he had walked through the door, Frodo had been cautiously avoiding any contact with his chest; it had to have been because of his bruise. . .or perhaps, something more? Sam sighed and shook his head. No, Frodo was alright, he had already been checked out by a doctor. He smiled, "If you're sure. . ."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Bilbo leaned back comfortably in his chair. He was so tired. . . he had not gotten any sleep last night. He didn't want to take a nap right now, yet his eyes slowly drifted shut. Oh well, Sam was with Frodo, and Hamfast was just outside, maybe a short nap would be alright. . .  
  
A loud thumping on the door prevented him from fully drifting to sleep, though. Startled, he jumped from the chair, a bit confused, "What. . ." he shook his head, realizing it was only someone at the door. Trying to shake off the sleepiness, he made his way to answer. Opening the door, he saw Hamfast standing there, "Well, hello!" he greeted happily.  
  
"Hello, sir," Hamfast addressed him.  
  
"Won't you come in?" Bilbo asked, motioning Hamfast to come inside. Hamfast nodded and smiled as he stepped past Bilbo. "Would you like a drink? Or, perhaps, some cake. . .I just made one for Frodo."  
  
"No, thank you," Hamfast replied. "Bell is probably starting to make lunch now."  
  
"Oh, well, alright," Bilbo smiled.  
  
"How is Frodo doing?" Hamfast asked curiously.  
  
"The doctor says Frodo will be alright," Bilbo told him. "That was certainly a relief. . .I had been very worried." Bilbo shook his head, "and not only was I worried about Frodo, I was beginning to wonder if the doctor was even coming. Do you know, the accident happened yesterday evening, and the doctor didn't come until this morning!"  
  
Hamfast shook his head disapprovingly, "He shouldn't have waited so long. If Frodo had had a very serious injury, the doctor's lack of concern could have been dangerous."  
  
"He said he was on his way down to where there was a tornado, to help with the injured down there," Bilbo told him. "The visit this morning did not take long; I think he could have spared the time last night. I'm sure it must have been an emergency, though, considering he waited to come."  
  
"He should have told you he wouldn't be available, or sent someone else. . ." Hamfast informed him.  
  
"Yes, I know," Bilbo agreed. "It sounds as though it was simply an error in judgement." He sighed, "I'm just thankful that Frodo's alright." He smiled, "I'll get Samwise for you."  
  
"Oh, thank you," Hamfast told him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sam looked at Frodo, thinking; something didn't seem right. He wasn't quite sure what, exactly, but he kept getting the feeling that something was wrong.  
  
Before he had a chance to consider it further, there was a light knock on the door, and Bilbo poked his head in. "I'm sorry to have to interrupt you lads, but, Sam, your father is here," he informed them. "He'd like you to go home with him."  
  
"Yes, sir," Sam stood from the side of the bed. "Thank you for allowing me to come in for a visit."  
  
Bilbo chuckled, "You're welcome, Sam."  
  
As Sam walked out, he tried to push away the thought that something was wrong with Frodo. After all, the doctor had already said that Frodo was fine. . . but the thought kept nagging at him.  
  
Sam sighed; no matter how much he tried, he couldn't forget it. . .  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
To be continued. . .  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: I'm so sorry for taking such a long time in between chapters! I will TRY to be more constant. And I hope this story continues to be enjoyed. Please let me know what you think. . . 


	7. Chapter Seven

Not Always Perfect  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
A/N: Again, I must apologize for taking such a long time between updates. Thank you to those who have followed this story this far. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and the chapters that will (hopefully, soon) follow . . .  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Bilbo walked into the room, happy to see Frodo in such a good mood. "Did you enjoy Samwise's visit?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.  
  
"Oh, yes," Frodo said enthusiastically.  
  
"He's a fine lad," Bilbo told him. "All of the Gamgee family is a wonder, but there is something truly special about Samwise." But what was most special, Bilbo added to himself, was the friendship that Frodo had formed with Sam.  
  
"Yes, there is," Frodo replied. "I do enjoy his company, and I am glad you invited him inside today."  
  
"I'm glad you and he are friends," Bilbo informed him. Frodo simply smiled at that statement; he was glad, too. He had certainly found a wonderful friend in Sam.  
  
Yawning, Frodo admitted he was tired, and Bilbo left the room, allowing him to sleep.  
  
When someone began knocking on the door, he hurried to open it; perhaps Hamfast had forgotten something.  
  
But it was not Hamfast . . .  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
"I hope you had a nice time," Hamfast told his son.  
  
"Yes, I did," Sam said slowly. "Though I don't think Frodo was feeling all that well."  
  
"Don't you be worrying about Frodo," Hamfast comforted Sam. "He's already been examined by a doctor, and he has said that Frodo will be fine." Mentioning the doctor, Hamfast shook his head, remembering what Bilbo had told him.  
  
"I suppose," Sam reluctantly admitted. "He said he has a bruise on his chest that hurts awfully bad," he shrugged, "I just wish he didn't have to be in pain." "It could be worse," Hamfast told him.  
  
"I know. . ." Sam sighed. This feeling that had come over him was silly, wasn't it? Maybe he shouldn't say anything of his suspicions. After all, the doctors opinion was much more professional and accurate that Sam's. It was nothing other than a silly thought. . .yes, that was it. . .there really wasn't anything wrong.  
  
"Despite the doctor's carelessness, I'm sure Frodo will be perfectly fine," Hamfast told him, sure that Frodo might have told him already.  
  
"What did the doctor do?" Sam asked curiously.  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
Bilbo stared at the hobbit standing before him, dumbfounded. "I-I-I'm sorry, who-who did you say you were?" he stammered..  
  
"Yes, I am the doctor. I have been told I am needed here." the elderly hobbit replied. "I must say, I am sorry to hear about the young lad, being in an accident and all. How about we have a look at him?"  
  
"But. . .but Doctor Grandall was already here," Bilbo told him, confusion evident in his voice. "I thought he was the doctor who had been sent."  
  
"Grandall!" the other hobbit scoffed. "Grandall is not a doctor. . .yet. I am simply training him. I was down south of Hobbiton, helping with the wounded, from a recent tornado. When I received word of your lad, I sent Grandall to come and have a quick look at him, and tell you that I would not be arriving until later this evening. He was supposed to make sure your boy was alright until I arrived, but certainly not take on the responsibility of examining him, himself. There are many things, yet, which he does not know, although he probably thinks he does. He is not as advanced in learning as he would like, and therefore he occasionally does things which he should not.  
  
"Do not be alarmed," the doctor added. "He had good intentions, and if he was a little more advanced in his learning, I might have trusted the whole matter to him. However, I feel I should check over what he has done." He sighed, clearly frustrated with what Grandall had done. Holding out his hand, he added, "I am Doctor Tibon."  
  
"Thank you. . ." Bilbo told him, still a bit confused at what had happened. "Yes. Yes, I will show you to Frodo, please follow me. . ."  
  
~~~*~~~  
  
To be continued . . . 


	8. Chapter Eight

Not Always Perfect  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
~~~*~~~*~~~  
  
Bilbo watched anxiously as Doctor Tibon assessed Frodo's condition, making sure the other 'doctor' had not done too bad of a job. Though Bilbo was curious as to what the doctor would say, he simply couldn't keep his mind from wandering.  
  
Why had Grandall assumed the role of a doctor? Why hadn't he just told them the truth? If Frodo's injuries had been more serious, Grandall's foolishness could have resulted in making matters worse.  
  
"Well, it seems he has not done too bad of a job," Doctor Tibon's words invaded Bilbo's thoughts.  
  
"No?" Bilbo asked hopefully. He sighed, "That's good." Raising an eyebrow in question, he assured, "Everything's alright then?"  
  
"Yes, now it is," Doctor Tibon answered. "Grandall did miss one thing, which, if it had not been noticed, could have resulted in other problems."  
  
"What could be that serious?" Bilbo asked slowly. Motioning to Frodo, he added, "He seems alright . . . what could it be?"  
  
"I'm afraid it seems he has a fractured rib," the doctor told him. "If that is not taken care of, it could worsen."  
  
"A . . . it . . . it's a . . . I see," Bilbo had to admit, he was not wholly surprised. This had everything to do with that bruise on Frodo's chest. He suspected there might be more to that, yet he trusted the doctor's opinion. He wouldn't have been quite so trusting had he known of what Grandall was doing.  
  
So Grandall's foolish deed really could have resulted in something more dangerous. Frodo's condition was more serious than he had originally been told.  
  
It certainly was a good thing the real doctor had heard of Frodo. Or else he would never have come, and they never would have known anything about this. Of course, if it did indeed become worse, they would have eventually noticed that something was not right. But it was good that this had been found before anything did happen.  
  
"Try to avoid putting any pressure on it," Doctor Tibon ordered. "You don't want to hurt the bone further." "No, of course not," Bilbo whole-heartedly agreed.  
  
After thanking Doctor Tibon and showing him to the door, Bilbo returned to Frodo's room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
'Doctor' Daniel Tibon arrived at his home later that afternoon, after stopping by to see a few other people. He was clearly frustrated with Grandall, and was sure to have a long discussion with him.  
  
Hanging up his cloak, he proceeded to the den, where he had planned on resting a bit. He was exhausted due to the previous days; Grandall was a problem which could be taken care of later.  
  
As he passed the kitchen, he heard the soft sound of dishes clinking. Perhaps Grandall was here now. There was a smaller hole next door where Grandall lived, but occasionally he would visit Daniel, and help with some of the daily chores. Usually only if he had done something which needed to be fixed.  
  
Peeking in through the door, Daniel's suspicions were confirmed. Grandall was in there, apparently trying to make dinner. Daniel rolled his eyes and shook his head at the thought that Grandall was probably only doing this to try and make up for lying to those Baggins'. Or perhaps he thought he had fooled everyone. . .  
  
"Good afternoon, Grandall," Daniel greeted, as he entered the kitchen.  
  
"Hello, Sir, are you just now getting back from down South?" Grandall asked curiously. "How were things there?"  
  
"Better than expected," Daniel replied. "It was not as bad as I had assumed."  
  
"That's good," Grandall replied, going back to what he was doing.  
  
A silence settled between the two, which left Grandall wondering if Daniel knew what he had done, and left Daniel wondering if Grandall was even the least bit concerned about Frodo. Daniel contemplated on how to begin their conversation. Should he rush into it, letting his anger show? Or should he approach it slowly, allowing Grandall to give an explanation before he started his lecture?  
  
Grandall might be a bit more cooperative if he started calmly. Or else Daniel might not receive the explanation he was demanding.  
  
He cleared his throat in preparation. "Grandall, I'd like to speak with you about something."  
  
"Yes, Sir?" Grandall asked, growing suspicions that his wrong deed might be known.  
  
"On my way home I stopped by Bag End," Daniel informed him, looking at him accusingly. "I was going to have a look at the lad." He paused for a moment, allowing Grandall to consider what was coming.  
  
"S-Sir, I--" Grandall attempted to interrupt.  
  
"But I was told that you had already been there," Daniel continued, not about to allow Grandall to speak yet. "And imitating a doctor, no less." Daniel was growing angry, and his voice rose in aggravation, "You are my apprentice! You are not a doctor, yourself. You do not yet know all you need to know."  
  
"How would you know?" Grandall asked defensively. "You haven't allowed me to try anything on my own, yet."  
  
"I have watched you," Daniel argued, attempting to remain calm. "I know what you can do."  
  
"Then why not let me try?" Grandall asked cautiously.  
  
Daniel ignored that question, considering the answer to be obvious. "You are so close, Grandall," Daniel shook his head. "Why did you have to do this?"  
  
Grandall opened his mouth to say something, but Daniel was being sympathetic . . . why?  
  
Daniel took a deep breath and said, "I'm afraid, Grandall, that I'm going to have to suspend you from practicing medicine for a bit."  
  
"No . . . no, you can't do that," Grandall's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "I want to help people, I've always wanted that. I want to make them better when they don't feel well. Please, don't do that."  
  
"I must admit, you may still learn from another," Daniel told him sincerely. "But I am afraid I will not teach you, at least, not for a while. It is your punishment, I feel it is just." Grandall hung his head as he started for the door, "One more thing."  
  
"Yes," Grandall looked up, tears threatening to pour from his eyes.  
  
"Apologize to the Baggins'," Daniel asked him. "Please."  
  
"I'll think about it," Grandall promised, but wondered if he would get up the courage to face them again.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Does that mean I'll have to stay in bed longer?" Frodo asked curiously, afraid of the answer he would receive.  
  
"He didn't say," Bilbo told him. "But I would think so." Frodo's face fell, and Bilbo wondered how he might comfort him. "I'm sure it will only be a little while longer, though."  
  
"What will I do?" Frodo asked him. "I already wish I could get up and go outside." He shrugged, then added, "I tried to find the good things in all this, but that was when it was only a couple days."  
  
"We don't know how much longer it will be, Frodo" Bilbo assured him. "The doctor will be back in a couple days to check up on you. I'm sure he will tell us then."  
  
Frodo sighed reluctantly, and nodded, "I suppose I'll just have to wait, then . . ."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
To be continued 


	9. Chapter Nine

**A note to my reviewers:**

Linriel: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. I'm sorry to have taken so long to update...

****

Kaewi: "Are you updating soon?" I'm sorry I haven't updated in a loooooong time. Although the break I took was very much needed.

****

Amy: *winces* I sowwy . . . *flutters eyelashes* Next time I'll try to update sooner, okay?

****

FRODO'S SWEETHEART: Yes, poor Frodo, huh? I must say, I am honored to be added to your list, but I am very sorry for not updating in ages!!

((**Olivia**)) I know you've been busy . . . I hope you haven't lost interest. I know, I know, silly thing to say, huh? *Hugs*

****

To all: After a while I lost interest in writing. Not just this story, but writing in general. I suppose I was suffering from a very sever case of writers block. I didn't think it was a bad thing, though, because it seemed to me no one was reading this story, anyway. One thing, though: I will never leave anything unfinished. So I figured if no one was reading, I would just go at my own pace, and write when I wanted to. Hence, no pressure to constantly update. Then when I got some reviews, I thought otherwise. But by then, I had simply lost all interest. Therefore, I took a break. From groups, from role-plays, from discussions, and . . . from writing. But I think the break I took was much needed, and hopefully it was just the thing to restore my muse. In this time, I got some ideas for this story, and I'm very thankful for that. Honestly, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this story. Should I make it longer? Should I make Frodo okay, and just end it within a few more chapters? But now I've figured out what I want to do . . . but I won't say. All I'll say is I'm not ending it quite yet.

And again, I am extremely sorry for not updating for, uh . . . *blushes* about 6 months!

~~~*~~~

Not Always Perfect

Chapter Nine

~~~*~~~

A fractured rib; he should have know! It hurt too much to be nothing but a bruise. But he had had faith in the doctor; he had trusted in Grandall to help him. Only to find out what? Grandall wasn't a doctor at all, he had just been pretending . . . lying. For anything else, he could have laughed it off, considering it to be a joke. But this was not intended to be a joke, and Frodo certainly wasn't laughing.

Days . . . weeks! Who knew how long he would have to stay in bed now? What rotten luck! Frodo was extremely frustrated at the whole situation. Why had it all had to happen?

Yes, earlier, he had tried to make best with his situation, but now . . . now, how could he be happy considering all that had taken place? How could he feel good about it all? If, indeed, it were to be weeks, what would he do during that time?

Frodo sighed and looked out the window. It was growing dark, and Frodo could hear a few crickets beginning to chirp. Again, his question came to mind . . . what would he do for the next couple of weeks? And in his state of gloom, one word came to him as his answer: nothing. He saw nothing but boredom ahead. He sighed in frustration, just as he heard a slight knock on the door.

"Come in," he called out, though he did nothing to hide the disappointment in his voice. The door opened slowly, and Bilbo poked his head through the opening, a cheerful smile on his face.

"Hullo, Frodo," he said as he walked in. "How are you feeling?" Frodo didn't answer; he simply scowled and shook his head. Bilbo's smile faded - he didn't know what to do. He gently sat down on the bed, and put a comforting hand on Frodo's shoulder. "Everything will be alright." His smile re-formed on his face as he added, "You may read as you wish, I'll tell you some stories, Sam will visit you as often as Hamfast allows . . . this time will go fast for you." He shook his head, obviously amused; "We don't even know for sure how long you'll be in bed. I'll bet we're just jumping to conclusions."

Frodo looked at Bilbo, hope shining in his eyes, "Do . . . do you really think so?"

Bilbo nodded encouragingly, "That I do, lad."

Frodo's eyes brightened, though doubt was still hidden behind them, forgotten for the moment. Gently, so as not to irritate his wounds, he allowed Bilbo to envelop him in a hug. There was something Frodo wanted to mention, but now was probably not the right time. However, if not now, then when? Taking a deep sigh, Frodo muttered an apology.

Pulling out of the embrace, Bilbo looked at Frodo curiously, "Why are you sorry?"

"Because this is my fault, isn't it?" Frodo asked, with the deepest sincerity in his voice.

"Oh, no, no," Bilbo assured him. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, I made us go out," Frodo began his explanation. "If it weren't for me and my silly ideas, you would have been perfectly happy to stay in your study all day and work with your notes. We would never have left Bag End, we wouldn't have gotten caught in the storm, and we wouldn't have been in that accident." Frodo's eyes began to well up with tears. "It was me who wanted to celebrate; it was me who wanted to go out and do something special." Frodo grabbed his kerchief off the nightstand and wiped his nose. "So isn't it all my fault, then?"

Bilbo thought quietly for a moment before he spoke, "No, Frodo, it's not your fault. You're right, yesterday was a special day. It was the anniversary of one of best days of my life . . . I'm very happy that you came to live with me. Bag End has certainly brightened up with you around. And you had every right to want to celebrate . . . I wanted that, too." Bilbo touched Frodo's chin gently, forcing Frodo to look into his eyes, "Things happen; things we can't control. We may never understand why, but they do happen. And what happened yesterday was an accident; that's all. You blaming yourself is no better than me blaming myself." Frodo tried to look away, but Bilbo held his gaze, "And any blame at all would do no good; what's done is done, it can't be changed. But you see, no one is to blame . . . especially not you."

Frodo knew that was the response he would get, and he hoped it to be true, yet he couldn't quite convince himself. Hearing it from Bilbo, however, helped him very much. Sure, Bilbo would say that, even if just to make him feel better . . . but he believed Bilbo. He sniffled and wiped his nose again. "Thank you, Bilbo," he said quietly, then allowed himself to be caught up in yet another embrace.

"Now," said Bilbo, rising from the bed. "You'd better get some sleep, it's getting to be quite late." He went to shut the window, but Frodo stopped him.

"It's a nice night, Bilbo, would you leave the window open?" Frodo asked hopefully.

"Certainly, my lad," Bilbo smiled, then made his way to the door.

"Bilbo . . ." Frodo called out, just before Bilbo left. "I love you." Bilbo paused, smiled, then nodded in agreement.

"I love you, too, Frodo," he opened the door. "Now you get to sleep."

"Alright," Frodo sighed as he slid down under the covers and closed his eyes. "G'night."

"Goodnight, Frodo," Bilbo whispered, and quietly shut the door.

~~~*~~~

To be continued . . .


	10. Chapter Ten

A note to the reviewers (who have been very kind and patient):

Ancalima: blushes Aww..... Thanks, Ana. huggles you You're making me blush - you're a great writer, as well.

Frodo-lovers: Aww.... don't worry about making mistakes. It's always nice to learn a new language. I've tried multiple times to learn Spanish (and failed miserably). I wouldn't mind learning French, but it would probably end up with the same results as Spanish. I think it's great that you know more than one language!

FrodoBaggins87: Thanks for letting me know. It's nice always to know that my story is being read. :)

Hobbit-Luvr: Thanks. I had hoped to be writing more often after that last update, but, er..... blushes. It's something about this story.....maybe I fell I won't meet expectations or something. I have certainly realized there are more people reading it than I thought. All I can do is my best, though, right?

Kaewi: Ah, yes. Thank you very much for giving me that little nudge. I am so excited to write this chapter. Not sure why. Maybe because I haven't written for a while. shrugs Or maybe because..... ahem ..... well, hopefully you'll see. I hope it's as good as I want it to be. :)

lovethosehobbits: Thank you for your encouragement. Expect more sweetness in the future.

Maddy Lake Deep: Wooo!! Your wonderful words make me so excited to continue with the story!! Remember I told you there was a very, very, extremely small clue in the last chapter as to what would happen now? Well, now you shall see..... grins evilly Our poor little Frodo. Lol

Olivia: LOL. I knew you hadn't lost interest - I was just teasing. sticks tongue out at you

tiggivon: You're from FH? Okay, well now I feel bad about leaving. Honestly, though, I didn't have the time to read all the stories. But..... HUGS Thank you sooooo much for all the great compliments!!! It all really means a lot to me! :)

A/N: I won't make any promises this time. I am updating now (again, many thanks to you, Kaewi for the little push), but I won't say when I will be updating again. Hopefully, it won't be a long time. I feel so bad, because thinking about it all in perspective...... the first chapter was posted on January 1st, 2003, and I am only now getting to the 10th chapter. It honestly doesn't seem like it's been that long. But it has been. And after the response I got from the last chapter (people letting me know they were reading; people asking me to update; people telling me it's okay to take my time, but they still like the story......), I apologize to everyone for taking such a long time with this story. And I apologize even more to everyone who has been enjoying this from the very first chapter (over a year and a half).

You are all wonderful!! Thank you bunches!! After being asked to write another chapter soon, I began thinking more about it and what would happen. I had, of course, had plans for this chapter already. I knew what I would do. Yet actually sitting down and writing it.....well, my plans weren't **that** specific. But now I've planned it out some more and I am really excited about writing. Let's hope my enthusiasm lasts this time, eh?

- - - - - - - - - -

Both occupants of Bag End were sound asleep when the sound of distant thunder began to roll in. Miles away, people were beginning to wake, wondering how long the storm would last, and most were in fear of another tornado.

The storm grew closer, and yet both hobbits slept on. Down Bagshot Row, a light had been lit in nearly every window; a sign those occupants were awake. Yet the windows of Bag End remained dark. Perhaps they were lucky - they had been though so much in the last couple of days.

However, not long after the storm erupted it full fury, young Frodo began to stir. The sound of the thunder....of the rain beating against the ground, which was their roof. A sudden loud crack of thunder caused him to jump.

He groaned as pain erupted throughout his body. His two fractured bones and sprained knee ached harshly from the sudden movement. Breathing heavily from surprise, he promised himself he wouldn't jerk his body like that again.

Frodo glanced at the window, remembering it was still open. Rain had begun pouring through it - he would have to shut it. But how? He wasn't allowed out of bed; even if he made an attempt, he couldn't put any weight on his knee. He considered calling for Bilbo, but no, he certainly couldn't wake Bilbo. Bilbo had already done so much in taking care of him and cheering him up.

Ah, well . . . rain wasn't really that bad. He was sure he could live with it for a little bit. A bright flash of lightning caused Frodo to look away from the window, but immediately after, he looked back in alarm. He had seen something, or someone, out there.

But if there was someone outside, someone . . . someone, perhaps, coming through the open window . . .

Frodo's thoughts became jumbled. What if that someone was dangerous? What if . . . no, this was silly. He would simply wait for another flash and see for sure.

But what if that someone came in before then? "No," Frodo told that particular thought, and he pushed it down, intent on not thinking about that.

But what if . . . "No," Frodo said to himself again. "There's nobody out there. It's just the storm . . ." Nevertheless, he felt his heart racing as he was waiting for the next flash of lightning. It didn't come. His eyes jerked toward every possible sound. Each second that ticked by, he felt himself growing more and more anxious. The flash still didn't come. His eyes wouldn't leave the window.

It came.

Frodo eyes widened and he let out a gasp of horror. There **was** someone there. There really was . . . it hadn't been his imagination. Someone really was standing outside his window. Frodo felt himself beginning to panic . . .

Someone was outside, in this raging storm, right outside his window . . . yet none of that frightened Frodo as much as the person's identity and the maniacal look on that someone's face.

It was Grandall.

He began to climb through the window. It was still completely dark, yet Frodo eyes never left the silhouetted form. Slowly, one step at a time, as if to inflict more fear, Grandall crept his way to the bed.

Frodo's heart was racing, and his panic was at the verge of spilling over. He no longer cared if Bilbo woke up . . .

"Bilbo," he called as loudly as he could.

Frodo heard Grandall give out an evil laugh, and his hands found his way to Frodo's neck, "Oh, no, he won't get here in time, lad."

"Bilbo . . ." Frodo choked out, his voice hoarse from Grandall's hands, tightening slowly. "Bilbo . . ."

- - - - - - - - - -

Bilbo, hearing his nephew's frightened cries, hurried to the young lad's bedroom. Lightning lit the room, as he noticed rain pouring in through the open window. However, he was not concerned about that at the moment.

"Frodo, what's wrong?" Frodo was tossing and turning in his sleep. The top of his blankets had managed to snake their way around Frodo's neck. Bilbo gently removed them and began shaking Frodo.

"Come on, Frodo, wake up," he said quietly. "It's alright, it's only a dream." He put his hand to Frodo's face, frowning at the heat radiating from his young nephew.

"Come on, Frodo, wake up," he repeated, at which the tossing and turning stopped. "It's only a dream. Wake up, now . . ." Frodo opened his eyes.

"Bilbo?" Frodo started, but then remembered his dream. He sat up straight, gasping at the pain which ignited in his chest, "Grandall . . ."

"Shhh, Frodo," Bilbo shushed him. "It's alright, Grandall is not here."

"Yes he is," Frodo went on. "Outside the window; he was . . ."

"No, Frodo," Bilbo shook his head. "It was only a bad dream." He gently helped Frodo to lay back down, got up and shut the window against the pouring rain, then returned and added, "Now why don't you try to get back to sleep."

Frodo bit his lip thoughtfully. He didn't like that idea at all; no, not one bit. His eyes stayed glued to the window which had just been shut. A flash of lightning revealed no one out there. Nothing there except the top of some plants that were swaying in the wind.

He looked at Bilbo warily. "I can't." Bilbo sighed; nightmares and storms had hardly ever frightened his nephew.

"Why don't I tell you a story then?" Bilbo suggested. "You close your eyes and try to see it in your mind, alright?" Frodo nodded, then closed his eyes, agreeing.

"Ready now?" Bilbo asked, and at Frodo's nod, he proceeded, "Alright then . . . Once upon a time . . ."

- - - - - - - - - -

To be continued . . .

A/N: I hope you liked it. I had been planning that dream for a loooooong time. ;)


	11. Chapter Eleven

A/N: Well, well, well...Hello everybody! I have just realized that it's been over ten months since I've updated this story. I'm so sorry for not updating this in a long time! But I've made a promise to myself, and I'll share it with you. This fall I will be going away to college, and this story WILL BE finished before I leave. I really appreciate you all for your patience and I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

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Ancalima: Thanks, Ana! I really appreciate your compliment.

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Anotherweasley: Now you shall find out what will happen next. Sorry I had you on the edge of your seat for so long. You didn't fall off, did you:)

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Aurora Baggins: Aurora! I guess this isn't really updating as soon as I can, is it? 10 months? I feel bad. But hey, at least I updated at all, right. I hope you like this chapter. :)

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Chickloveslotr: Well, I'm glad you were searching if it helped you find my story. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks!

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Hobbit-Luvr: Was it really just a dream? Actually, that comment gave me an idea and helped me come up with furthering the plot. So thanks! BTW, don't worry about not seeing the last chapter for a while...I'm slow at updating, too.

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Kaewi: Don't worry about me not continuing this story. No matter how long it takes, I have never abandoned a story yet, and I don't plan to start doing that anytime in the foreseeable future. :) I hate it when other people discontinue a good story. Besides, I have to find out for myself how this story will end, and I'm a bit curious. LOL. As far as if Grandall's going to be attacking Frodo...well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?

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Lovethosehobbits: Okay. Ta-Da! I know, I know, it's not really updating soon. But an update is an update, I suppose.

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Nimrodel of Meneltarma: Is Grandall not so bad? Well, we'll find out eventually. But you're right, he was just trying to make Frodo feel better. Along with being a little bigheaded about his own talents. Not that being bold is necessarily a bad thing, but he shouldn't have done that in this case. Or he should have at least admitted it to Doctor Tibon, but he was planning on keeping his wrongdoing to himself.

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Frodo awoke slowly, not yet wanting to give up the blissfully warm and comfortable world of sleep. However, he finally gave in to wakefulness and opened his eyes. Staring at the ceiling, one of his first thoughts was of how good he was feeling. It seemed to be getting better by the day, although for now his joints could still be a bit numb from sleep.

Ignoring the pain in his chest and arm, he pushed himself up a bit so he could rest against the head of the bed. Only then did he notice Bilbo, asleep in a rocker beside the bed, the storybook resting, still open, on his lap. He must have fallen asleep shortly after Frodo. Frodo's eyes widened as the memory of last night came flooding back. His eyes shot towards the window, and he couldn't help himself from being curious. He admitted freely that he had been asleep, or else why had Bilbo had to wake him up...but in no way did it feel like a dream. It had all felt so real, and the fright that he felt had most certainly been genuine. He sighed and looked back to Bilbo, who had begun to stir...perhaps it had been a dream.

"Well, it's about time to decided to wake up," Frodo teased, trying to suppress a smile. "It's nearly noon, and I'm hungry."

"Huh...what...oh, oh, I'm sorry, Frodo," he stood up and hurried from the room. Down the hall, Frodo could still hear him muttering, "Don't know what got into me...sleeping so late..."

Frodo broke into a smile, and tried not to laugh out loud.

Bilbo appeared at the door, pushing it open all the way, his hands on his hips and a glare in his eyes.

Frodo couldn't help it anymore. He started laughing so hard, he couldn't stop for a while. Pain arose in his chest, but at least it was just a little, not horrible like the last couple of days. His laughter was infectious, and soon Bilbo was laughing as well.

"You...you little rascal," Bilbo said, once the laughter had subsided a bit, though he was still chuckling. "It's not even quite seven o'clock yet."

Frodo shrugged, a grin still on his face, "How was I to know? I don't have a clock in here."

Bilbo sighed as he realized he truly had been pulled into that one. "Right you are, and next time I shall remember." He paused for a moment, before adding, "There isn't much left in the pantry for breakfast, I'm sure I can throw something together, but for any more meals we're going to have to wait a bit. When Hamfast and Sam arrive today, I'll ask if Sam wouldn't mind running into town for us." As if on cue, they heard a soft knock on the door. Bilbo smiled and stood up, heading for the door, "And perhaps that's them now, though why they would knock is beyond me, they usually just get right to work on the garden..."

Frodo smiled as he listened Bilbo continue to talk to himself all the way down the hall, and only stopping when he opened the door. He heard the exchange between his uncle and another voice, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Finally, the visitor left and Bilbo returned to Frodo's room.

"That's was young Samwise," Bilbo informed him. "But I'm afraid he won't be able to run into town for us. In fact, he came by to tell me that he and his father won't be coming to work on the garden. It seems the storm last night had some very high winds, and quite a bit of damage was done to many smials down Bagshot Row, and many other places besides. They've decided to spend today cleaning up their property, but they will be back on the job tomorrow."

"What are you going to do, then?" Frodo asked curiously, but at Bilbo's lack of response, made a suggestion. "Why don't you go into town?"

"Oh, no, Frodo, I--" Bilbo began, but Frodo interrupted him.

"Yes, you could move me into the parlor, and I could sit by the window. That way if anyone stops by, I could at least see them if I don't hear them at the door. Leave me a book, and I'll be fine." At Bilbo's extremely apprehensive look, Frodo quickly added, "Besides, I could use a change of scenery from this bedroom."

Bilbo was about to refuse this suggestion, but he looked into Frodo's face and saw the determination. He didn't like the idea of leaving Frodo alone, but he did seem to be feeling much better today. He would only be gone for about an hour or two...Frodo would be fine. "Alright," he sighed reluctantly, yet smiled reassuringly. "I'll go."

He threw together a quick breakfast with almost everything in the pantry, small though it was, it was good. After making sure Frodo had within reach everything he could possibly want or need, he left to go to town.

Frodo smiled to himself at the huge stack of things his uncle left for him. Books, games, paper, elvish translations, a list of old riddles Bilbo had thought up...Bilbo had told Frodo he would be gone for two hours at the very most. For him to accomplish everything here it would certainly take much longer. But, at least he had options.

Grabbing a plain piece of paper, he searched for a quill and some ink and finally found them behind the stack of storybooks. He pulled a thin wooden board out of his 'activity selection' and set it on his lap. Dipping the quill into the ink, he let his imagination free, which then, in turn, allowed him to create a story all his own. He spent almost three hours playing around with his characters, Tim and William, whose mischievous personalities marvelously resembled that of his two cousins, Merry and Pippin. While the hours whiled away, Tim and William spent their time chasing dragons, meeting elves, and saving royal kingdoms from imposing bad guys.

As they endured one adventure after another, Frodo finally looked up at the clock. Worry began to settle in the bottom of his stomach...it had been nearly four and a half hours since Bilbo had left. Where could he have gone to? What if something had happen in town? Just as he was thinking these things, the heard the door creak open. But he wasn't sure if he felt relieved or frightened. He hadn't been watching out the window, he had been absorbed in his story, and then in his worry. If something had happened to Bilbo, what if it was...what if...Grandall had come again? He shook his head and told himself that was silly, but still the fear gnawing at him from inside kept him from calling out Bilbo's name.

The doorknob to the parlor door turned. Frodo held his breath, waiting to see who was coming. Slowly, ever so slowly, the door continued to open. Finally, an exhausted and very tired-looking Bilbo peeked his head into the room. Frodo let out the breath he had been holding and berated himself for thinking so foolishly.

"I assume everything went alright?" he asked Frodo sleepily, not noticing the relief on Frodo's face.

"Yes," Frodo nodded. "But what took you so long? I was beginning to get worried."

"Well, first of all, the road was filled with other hobbits, trying to collect their belongings that they had left outside last night," Bilbo began his explanation. "It took a while to get around everybody, especially when they were all in such a hurry. Honestly, I just barely avoided getting knocked over by one lady who was in a hurry to get her clothesline before someone else did, and they she and another lady got into an argument over who's it really was." Bilbo paused for a moment to smile at Frodo, "That storm last night sure did put some people into bad moods."

"Maybe it kept them up all night," Frodo suggested.

"Yes, I suppose it might have," Bilbo agreed. Then continued with his story, "Once I finally reached town, I went into the food shop and bought enough food to last us a couple of days. I was just about to pay for it and leave when Lobelia walked in." Bilbo looked annoyed, "I certainly didn't want to have a run-in with her, so I watched her from behind and tried to stay out of her way. Finally, when she left, I left shortly after, only to find to had stopped just outside to complain to Otho about the prices. They spotted me, and there was no escaping them. So I listened to them ramble on and on about how they should have Bag End and...well, you know, the same thing they're always saying."

"You could have kept on walking and ignored her," Frodo said, smiling. He tried to imagine the look on her face if she was trying to be difficult, and Bilbo had just kept walking.

"Yes, but that wouldn't have been proper," Bilbo corrected his nephews' thinking. Secretly, though, he wished he could have done just that. "Anyway, after that I hurried home. Hobbits were still crowding the road, though not quite as many." He let out a small chuckle, "Those two same hobbit ladies were arguing over the clothesline, except now their husbands were involved, trying to keep a fight from breaking out." He sighed deeply, "And so...here I am now. Worn out."

"Why don't you rest for a bit?" Frodo suggested, chuckling a bit at his uncle's unfortunate luck today.

"I think I will," Bilbo agreed. He pulled something out of a bag, "Here's an apple for now. Later, I'll make a big dinner, alright?"

"Alright," Frodo agreed. "Bilbo," he called as Bilbo was about to leave the room. "There's still a whole half of the day left...it'll be better than this morning."

"I'm sure it will," Bilbo smiled, then left the room. Frodo was suddenly glad his uncle had left him so many things earlier. Pulling out the elvish translations, he tried to learn a bit more of the fascination elvish language.

To be continued.…


	12. Chapter Twelve

A/N: Just a few chapters left...aren't you excited? Well, probably just a few. If I get an inspiration to write something more, then of course, there will be more. Anyway, here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it! )

**Aurora Baggins**: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! I was hoping his dream would come off as creepy! )

**Kaewi**: Well, things may get intense...I guess we'll just have to wait and see, now won't we? Okay, in all honesty, I don't know yet. Perhaps. I'm glad you liked the chapter!

**Maddy Lake Deep**: Aww...this is one of your favorite stories? Thanks - I'm very glad that it is. ) About Grandall...grins I guess you'll just have to wait and find out, huh? wink But you did give me an idea when you made that comment. So, thanks!

**Midgette**: What? A hint of sarcasm, maybe? Well, guess what? Another update...it must be Christmas again! )

**Shinra77**: Thanks! I'm happy that you're enjoying it!

**spiritstllionofthecimarro**: Thanks! I'm really glad you like this story!

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**Not Always Perfect**

_Chapter Twelve_

After the short time of a week, the doctor consented, though a bit reluctantly, to allow Frodo to attempt to walk. Frodo was so excited to hear he would be getting out of bed, without the need for Bilbo to carry him, that he threw his blankets off and quickly threw his legs over the edge. He quickly regretted his rush of excitement as pain flared through his chest, causing him to clutch at it and almost bringing him to tears.

"Now, hold on there, young sir," the doctor commented, placing a hand on Frodo's shoulder. "You can't go rushing about too quickly; just because one of your pains is feeling better doesn't mean they all are."

Bilbo grabbed a pitcher from the bedside table and quickly poured Frodo a glass of water. "Here, Frodo, why don't try taking a drink," he offered, but before Frodo could accept it, the doctor thoughtfully took it away from him. Going over to his bag, he searched through it until he found a tiny bag. Tearing it open, he poured the contents into the water, and then he handed the water to Frodo.

"Here, I've added a small pain-killing powder," he smiled at Frodo. "But that still doesn't mean I want you over-doing it."

"No, I won't," Frodo gasped after gulping down the water. "I was feeling so good, I wasn't even thinking."

"Yes, well, at least you didn't do anything to inflict more damage," he stared at Frodo seriously. "When you walk about, I want you to take it slowly, understand?" He took Frodo's empty glass away from him, "Moving too quickly will cause this to happen again."

"Oh, I'll go slow," Frodo agreed, trying to sound cheery, though inside he was a bit upset. He couldn't wait until he could run and play outside again. But he would soon be out of bed without any help, and that was an accomplishment in itself.

The doctor watched Frodo closely as Bilbo took one of his nephews hands and carefully helped him to stand upright. Once standing, Frodo smiled widely, his happiness showing for all to see. He looked up at the doctor, who nodded his approval. "Since I see I'm no longer needed here at the moment, I think I'll be going now," he smiled encouragingly at Frodo. "You're doing fine - just take it slowly, as I said." He looked back to Bilbo, "I'll be back in about a week to check up on him." With that said, Bilbo followed the doctor out to the door. Frodo could hear the doctor impressing it upon Bilbo not to allow him to do any vigorous work. Frodo slowly walked to his bedroom door, and then emerged from the room, looking a bit tired already, but happy nonetheless.

Bilbo met him in the hallway and smiling, shooed him back into his room. "Get dressed, then maybe we'll go sit in the garden and have some tea?"

"Alright," Frodo's smile grew - he would be outside. He glanced down at his left arm still in a splint, "It may take a while, though."

"That's alright," Bilbo shrugged it off. "You need to get your muscles moving again, and it'll give me time to make the tea."

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Frodo found the warm afternoon air to be quite enjoyable. After being stuck inside for almost two weeks, he had been looking forward to this since almost the first day. There was a nice breeze blowing on his face, and not a cloud in the sky. Bilbo had brought out two chairs and they both sat comfortably, just enjoying the nice day.

"Mister Frodo, you're out of bed!" Frodo heard the excited comment, and knew who it was without looking.

"Hello Sam," Frodo slowly turned around in his chair to see the happy face of a young gardener. "Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you," Sam told him proudly. "We gotta be workin' - see them?" He pointed to the a group of plants just beneath Frodo's window, and upon Frodo's nod, he continued. "Them's some real special flowers, Mister Frodo. Some of 'em are bloomin' now, but you just wait a little longer, and there'll be a whole lot of pretty colors there to see."

"Will there?" Frodo admired Sam's enthusiasm. "I hope they come up soon, then, because they sound wonderful."

"Oh, they are," Sam agreed. "The stems are still growin' on some of 'em, and some are just waitin' for the buds to open up," Sam paused, thinking. "Probably a couple more weeks, I'd say."

"Well, you'll have to show them to me when they're all there," Frodo eyes danced with anticipation.

"I will," Sam smiled, still more proudly, then set off around to the other side of the smial to start his work.

"He loves the smallest of things," Frodo commented to Bilbo. "I don't think he could ever be unhappy; he can find joy in whatever he's doing."

"Isn't that just the perfect way to live life?" Bilbo asked, watching Frodo.

"Yes," Frodo nodded, smiling. "I would think so."

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Another week passed and the doctor paid the Baggins smial another visit. Frodo had grown more and more comfortable doing everyday things, and the doctor didn't stay long. Bilbo announced that he need to go back into town, and Frodo, feeling up to the challenge of a long walk, asked if he could go along.

"I don't know, Frodo," Bilbo said slowly. "You're still not feeling the best yet, I think it would be best if you stay here."

"Please?" Frodo persisted. "I know I can do it."

"What if you get there, and are too worn out to walk back?" Bilbo asked sensibly.

Frodo had to think for a moment before simply replying, "That won't happen."

"How do you know it won't?" Bilbo asked him. He hated denying Frodo this, but he just couldn't let him come along. Not when he was doing so well.

"I just know," Frodo continued to reason. "I've been walking around for longer periods of time, and I can sit down while you shop, and...I just know that won't happen." Frodo cast Bilbo a longing gaze, "Please let me go."

Bilbo chanced looking directly at Frodo's face and immediately felt himself crumble inside. Against his better judgment, he agreed to allow Frodo to go with him. He knew Frodo wanted to be completely well, be Bilbo felt he was trying to do these things too quickly.

"Alright, then, if you're ready...are you ready?" Frodo nodded. "Then let's go."

Frodo still walked a bit slowly, though his pace was almost back to what it was before the accident. Slowly but surely, they made it to town with no problems at all. Frodo sat down on a bench outside the Green Dragon while Bilbo went about town in search of what he needed.

Frodo watched people as they walked by; some he greeted pleasantly; some gave his curious looks and walked on without a simple 'hello;' some were too wrapped up in their own affairs to even notice him. His gaze fell on another hobbit, who looked like he didn't want to be noticed, walking up the lane. Frodo watched him, looking lonely yet trying to remain inconspicuous. Frodo looked into his eyes and saw hurt and rejection. Who was this hobbit? Frodo had the strangest feeling that he had seen him before - but where? Frodo watched as he turned down the path headed for the Green Dragon; he continued to stare into his eyes and as the hobbit glanced at him before going in the door, another face danced into Frodo's mind. A face from a cold, stormy night; a face from a dream - it was Grandall.

Grandall must have recognized him, because a strange look passed over his face. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but then thought better of it and went inside.

Frodo felt confused. He had been told that Grandall was nothing but an inconsiderate person, but here he was, all alone, just wanting and needing a friend. What was the truth? He had impersonated a doctor, an act to which the outcome could have been harmful had the situation been more worse. But perhaps his judgement was simply a mistake - an accident which now cost him his happiness and his dreams. The compassionate side of Frodo won over the hesitant side, and he slowly got up and went inside the building. He spotted Grandall sitting in a corner, alone in the shadows, a mug of ale sitting in front of him seemingly untouched. Frodo took a deep breath to keep his courage, then walked over and sat down at the table.

"What do ya' be wantin'?" Grandall asked him. He had tried to sound grumpy, but Frodo could see a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"I remember you," Frodo said boldly. "And you know who I am, too, don't you?"

"That I do," Grandall admitted gruffly. "What of it?" Frodo could tell Grandall was happy the someone was speaking to him, yet a bit uncomfortable from the attention.

"I just wanted to say, 'Hello,' and see how you were doing," Frodo told him kindly.

"And why would ya' be wantin' to do that?" Grandall asked, not in a mean way, but in a curious tone.

Frodo took a deep breath, "Because I want to know the truth about why you did what you did."

Grandall sighed sadly, "I was only tryin' to help." He looked over at Frodo and was surprised to see understanding in his eyes. "All my life I dreamed of bein' a doctor; studying hard, too, soon as I learned how to read and write. As soon as I turned thirty-three, I set off on my own to find someone to teach me so's I could learn more and actually be doin' the things I had always wanted. To help people feel better, that's all." He looked down at the table, running his fingers along the small grooves, "Doctor Tibon took me on as his apprentice; it didn't take long for him to tell me I was almost good enough to be a doctor on my own.

"He was called away that night, a lot of people down south got to ailin' cause o' that tornado. I went with him, too." He looked back to Frodo, wondering if he should go on, "In the mornin' most of the work down there was finished, and that's when this hobbit came and told us about you. He told me to go and tell you it would only be a short while before he'd be able to come, so I set off. While I was comin,' I thought it might just be easier if I had a look at ya' myself." He continued watching Frodo's expression, afraid it would turn to anger. When it didn't Grandall added, "I expect ya' know the rest."

"Doctor Tibon said he wouldn't teach you anymore," Frodo stated, and Grabdall nodded. Frodo looked away, "Yes, I know the rest."

"It was a mistake anyone could have made," Grandall had to regain his composure. "Some things are harder to spot, but everyone needs to learn."

Frodo found himself running his fingers over the grooves in the table, same as Grandall had done. He couldn't imagine being this harshly disciplined for making a mistake. But then, he looked up urgently, feeling his had the perfect and most obvious answer, "Why don't you just ask Doctor Tibon for another chance?"

"I already did," Grandall admitted. "He told me no."

"He seems nice, I can't believe that he outright refuse you," Frodo said, starting to get upset.

"Just never mind about it, alright?" Grandall asked him. "My chance at doctorin' is over." He stood up and started walking towards the door. Frodo stayed for a moment, then slowly stood up and followed him outside.

"There's nothing wrong with saying you're sorry," Frodo told him stoutly. Grandall turned around quickly, and Frodo could see the anger and fear growing quickly on his face. "Don't let pride keep you from fulfilling your dreams."

"You! Get away," Grandall turned back around, and Frodo glanced around him to see Bilbo. "You leave him alone," he quickly rushed past Grandall, and took Frodo by the arm, gently pulling him away.

"But, Uncle," Frodo protested.

"Not now, Frodo, we're going home," Bilbo told him shortly.

Frodo glanced over his shoulder and saw Grandall standing there hopelessly. Frodo would consent for now, his uncle didn't understand the whole story, after all. But later, when they were home, Frodo would tell him how things were. Grandall would be given a second chance. He only hoped Bilbo would understand; once everything was laid out in a reasonable manner, Frodo was sure he would understand.

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To Be Continued...

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be coming soon.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

A/N: First of all, I really want to apologize for not updating this story before I went to school. I feel bad for making all of you wait, and even worse because I promised I would. But I didn't. If it's any consolation to you, I've come up with some more ideas for the plot. The way I had it planned out before, this would have been the last chapter, and the ending wouldn't have been very strong. But as it is, I have just come up with an idea for a better ending. Which won't be for a few more chapters yet, but you know what? One of my New Years resolutions is to finish this story! LOL ) Thank you all so much for sticking with me this far, just a few more chapters to go. I promise (and yes, I intend to keep that!).

And also, since no longer allows me to post individual replies, I just want to say a round about thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. And if you either sign in or leave your email address, I'll still find the time to thank you all individually.

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**Not Always Perfect**

_Chapter Thirteen_

While Frodo and Bilbo were on their way home, Bilbo noticed Frodo had grown very quiet. He knew why, too. It was because of that Grandall. And he also understood why Frodo had grown quite angry with him. In fact, with no worded accusations from Frodo, Bilbo still felt quite ashamed of himself. He had acted very foolishly back at the market - Grandall was indeed someone who had simply made a mistake. A potentially horrible mistake, but an innocent mistake nonetheless.

"Frodo," Bilbo continued looking forward, too ashamed to make eye contact. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" came Frodo's reply, his tone a bit harsh.

"I think you know what for, lad," Bilbo finally looked over to Frodo. But Frodo wasn't bothering to look back. "For what I did back there. I shouldn't have treated Grandall the way I did."

Finally Frodo stopped walking and looked directly at Bilbo. "Don't you think I'm the wrong person to be apologizing to?"

Bilbo set his jaw, turned, and began walking again. He had apologized yet Frodo was still angry with him. He truly felt sorry inside, and he had admitted that. What more could he do? He would apologize to Grandall, but surely he wasn't still back at the Green Dragon, and Bilbo didn't know where he lived. So really there was no solution to that issue. Bilbo felt helpless. There really was nothing more he could do.

The two hobbits walked in silence for a few moments until finally Frodo looked up. "I'm sorry, Bilbo." Bilbo was sorry for his actions, and Frodo knew it. He also knew that if Bilbo had the nerve to admit to Frodo that he was wrong, then he would also admit that to Grandall given he had an opportunity.

"So am I, lad," Bilbo drew Frodo into a gentle embrace. "I truly am."

"I know," Frodo replied. "I was just angry at you. I don't know if I've ever seen you hold a grudge. So I was surprised at the way you treated him." Frodo looked away for a moment, then turned back to Bilbo, a positive expression on his face. "Although now it's all over and said, so it can't be helped. We can spend all of our time feeling ashamed or we can put this situation behind us."

"I say we put it behind us," Bilbo agreed, a smile beginning to form on his face. "And now, let's go home and I'll make us some pies."

"Can I help?" Frodo asked hopefully.

"You should probably go to bed when we get home," Bilbo shook his head. "You've had a bit of an exhausting day."

"Oh, Bilbo!" Frodo exclaimed. "I feel alright. Please? I'll just sit at the table and help." Frodo shook his head. "I don't wish to run around to the cupboards to get all the ingredients," he gave a playful little smile. "I'll let you do that."

Bilbo let out a hearty laugh. "Alright then, I suppose you can help." Bilbo continued to chuckle to himself. Frodo certainly had a way of getting what he wanted. Bilbo would never admit it, but at times he found it quite hard to say no to the lad.

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Sam sat at the dinner table, subconsciously fidgeting with his hands. He had been over to have dinner with the Baggins on at least one occasion before, and he was nervous then, too. Oh, he liked the Baggins' sure enough, but there were certain times, such as this one, when he just felt uncomfortable. On second thought, improper was a better word for it. He loved spending time at Bag End, but it was all mostly working. Or spending an afternoon with Frodo. Hardly ever did he actually go and have dinner with them.

Sam was tempted to decline the offer when invited. However, when Frodo mentioned they would have fresh baked pies for dessert, he heard himself accept the invitation before he actually had a chance to think about it. So now, here he was, feeling nervous and slightly out of place.

"Hello, Sam," Frodo came into the kitchen and gingerly sat down at the table.

"Hello, Mister Frodo," Sam greeted enthusiastically. "How are you feelin'?"

"I'm feeling alright at the moment," Frodo grinned. "Bilbo wouldn't let me touch the pies earlier. And they smelled so good when they were baking."

"I think half the lane wanted some, sir," Sam informed him. "I could smell them all afternoon as I was workin'." Frodo simply smiled. He truly enjoyed Sam's innocent enthusiasm. Sam could go on for hours talking about something if it interested him. Sam went on talking. Frodo's mind was elsewhere, hence he was only half listening, until Sam mentioned, "...and then you have that Doctor Tibon, he's one of nicest people, but--."

"What was that Sam? About Doctor Tibon?" Frodo suddenly became more interested, an idea beginning to form.

"Oh, when we go to work on his garden," Sam elaborated. "I don't like going there because I never know if he'll be in a good mood."

"He seemed nice enough when he was here," Frodo replied, a bit confused.

"Oh he usually is," Sam explained. "And he doesn't get a temper very often. But all I'm sayin' is if he's havin' a bad day he can be a bit...unpleasant."

"Let me ask you Sam, if someone has done something wrong," Frodo began. "Another doctor, someone he cared about and had been training for a while. If that someone asked for forgiveness, would Doctor Tibon turn him down?"

"I don't think he would, Mister Frodo," Sam replied thoughtfully. "It's like I said, he can be cranky, but only if he's pushed so it. Sometimes he's more bad-tempered than anyone I know, but he always feels bad afterward."

"If he's the type to forgive," Frodo suggested to Sam. "Then that means Grandall never apologized to begin with. He never asked for a second chance." Frodo shook his head, and he looked at Sam, confused. His idea was growing into more of a plan. "I wonder why he lied to me about that."

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To be continued...

I hope you all liked this chapter! No promises as to when the next chapter will come, but I'm hoping it will be soon. I really want to get this story finished.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

A/N: This one's a bit short. But it's written and posted nonetheless. :) I hope you like it.

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**Not Always Perfect  
**Chapter Fourteen

* * *

Frodo stood outside Bilbo's study, his forehead resting against the doorframe. He was as quiet as he could be. He slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside, hoping he wouldn't find his uncle asleep. Seeing Bilbo sitting up and very much awake, Frodo smiled to himself. He wanted to speak to Bilbo, but this opportunity was simply too good to pass up.

As quietly as he could, he slowly pushed the door open the rest of the way. He hoped it wouldn't let out a creak. It didn't. Then, he slowly began to sneak across the room. He was just reaching his arm out so as to startle his uncle, when suddenly it came.

"Was there something you wanted, Frodo?" Bilbo asked, not at all moving or acknowledging Frodo's presence.

Frodo was startled. He stood up straight and stared at Bilbo with utmost curiosity. He said nothing.

Bilbo turned around in his chair and looked at Frodo, ready to ask the question again. But when he caught the perplexed look on Frodo's face he simply began laughing. His sudden outbreak caused Frodo to become over more confused. However, laughter is contagious, and he found himself beginning to laugh along with his uncle.

Finally, when they started to settle down, Frodo glanced up at Bilbo. "How did you know I was in the room?"

"Well, I believe I've developed a good sense of hearing," Bilbo chuckled. "If not when you moved in, then certainly when you got hurt."

"I tried to be quiet," Frodo objected.

"I know," Bilbo admitted. "That's what made it all the better when I spoke."

Frodo chuckled. He could just imagine the look Bilbo had seen on his face. "Oh, alright," he sighed. "You got me this time, but you won't catch me next time."

"Oh," Bilbo raised an eyebrow. "And when will this 'next time' be?"

"Now, I can't tell you that," Frodo responded with a huff. "You would have a chance to get prepared." Frodo shook his head and smiled mischievously, "No, I think I'll try and catch you off your guard."

"Do you really think you can?" Bilbo asked. A question to which Frodo simply smiled and nodded. "Alright, well, anyway, what was it you wanted, Frodo?"

"Oh, I was going to ask you," Frodo started. "If you wouldn't mind going to see Doctor Tibon."

"Oh, well, I don't," Bilbo was surprised at such a random suggestion. "No, I suppose I don't mind. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking," Frodo said quickly. "If we asked him where Grandall lived, then we could go and--"

"Hold on, slow down a moment, Frodo," Bilbo held out his hands in a manner for Frodo to stop talking. "I know where this is leading."

"Do you?" Frodo lowered his head. He was sure Bilbo would berate him for wanting to search for Grandall.

"Yes, I do," Bilbo told him. "And I think you've a good idea to find Grandall so we can apologize." Frodo looked up in surprise. "But why not just wait another week or so? Doctor Tibon will be over here to have a look at you."

"I didn't want to wait," Frodo shook his head. "I was hoping we could get it over and done with."

"I don't know where he lives, Frodo," Bilbo admitted.

"Perhaps not," Frodo replied, a hint of eagerness in his voice. "But Sam does."

"Does he, now?" Bilbo asked thoughtfully. He appeared to be thinking hard on the matter. Finally he came up with an answer for Frodo. "We'll wait until the Gamgee's arrive tomorrow, then we'll ask to borrow Sam for a bit." He smiled, "Does that sound alright?"

"Yes, Bilbo," Frodo exclaimed happily. "Thank you!"

* * *

To be continued...


	15. An Unfortunate Death

A/N: Yes, I know it's been almost two years since this story has been updated….  
Thought I gave up on it, didn't ya'?? ;-)  
I couldn't think of a good direction for this story to go, but thought it was starting to rely too heavily on the OC's. So this was the unfortunate result….

* * *

**Not Always Perfect  
**_Chapter Fifteen:  
__An Unfortunate Death_

* * *

"Don't worry, Hamfast, we won't need Sam but a moment," Bilbo assured Sam's father. Hamfast nodded, giving consent to the Baggins' request for Sam to show them where Doctor Tibon lived.

The three of them had walked twenty minutes before Sam finally stopped and pointed to one particular smial. Frodo and Bilbo both thanked Sam and he ran off back to help his father. Bilbo took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

The two waited for a moment, but when they heard nothing, Bilbo knocked again.

Again, there was nothing.

"Perhaps he's just gone out for a visit?" Frodo asked curiously, looking up at Bilbo.

"I suppose you're right," Bilbo replied as felt his heart sink slightly. This apology was not one he was looking forward to, and he had hoped to get it over with as soon as he could. He knocked one more time, hoping to get a response. But yet again, there was no answer. "We'll come back later," he said, although it was more to assure himself than Frodo.

------

When it became later in the afternoon, Frodo and Bilbo decided they would again try to find out when Grandall lived. As soon as Bilbo opened the door to leave, he jumped back in surprise. Frodo peeked around his uncle to see what had startled him.

Sam stood in the doorway, his hand still posed as if ready to knock. He too was startled when the door suddenly opened, but he quickly overcame his shock. He looked as if he might just start crying.

"Mister Frodo, Mister Bilbo, it was horrible!" He stammered.

"What was horrible, Sam?" Frodo asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"It's Doctor Tibon," Sam sniffed. "We were just about to do his gardenin', and we had a question we wanted to ask him before we started. So we knocked and knocked and knocked, but he didn't answer." Tears were now brimming in his eyes. "We thought maybe he might be out doctorin', but we couldn't start planting until we had his approval. We wanted to leave him a note and put it on his table, so I went in to look for some paper and a pencil, and --" Sam stopped short. "And I saw --" he still couldn't finish.

"What did you see, Sam?" Frodo asked gingerly.

"Doctor Tibon," Sam's voice broke. "He was there…"

"Well, why didn't you ask him your question then?" Frodo asked, unknowing as to what Sam would say next.

"No, Mister Frodo," Sam shook his head sadly. "I couldn't ask him. He was…he was…"

Suddenly it dawned on Frodo why Sam was so distressed. "Sam, did he…is Doctor Tibon…dead?" When Sam nodded, Frodo drew him into an embrace.

"Oh, Sam, that must have been so terrible," Frodo tried to comfort his friend. "Do you know what happened?"

Sam shook his head, "No, sir, I didn't stay to find out; the whole thing made me scared."

"Well, Sam, that's certainly understandable," Bilbo agreed, then asked, "Is your father still there?" Sam nodded, tears forming in his eyes. Bilbo gently rested a hand on Sam's shoulder before announcing he was going to see for himself what had happened.

"We'll be alright, Bilbo," Frodo assured him, before turning to Sam. "Sam will stay here with me until you get back."

------

Once again, this story is: _to be continued_...


	16. Secret Revealed

A/N: Wow... it's been a long time since I've worked on this story! I have to admit, my love for Lord of the Rings wavered for a while, but I've been watching the movies again, and have had the urge to write again, so I guess I was inspired again. I've stated before that I will never leave a story unfinished. This is true. I might take a while and wait until I'm feeling motivated, but I will never leave a story unfinished. It really frustrates me when I start to read a story and really enjoy it, but the author never finished it. I'm not one of those authors.

So here's another chapter. I also had a hard time with this story after the last chapter. As I stated before, I really don't like how the OC's plot was dominating this story. So in the last chapter, I removed the doctor from the story. This chapter is more or less tying that up. There will be at least one, possibly two chapters left. My motivation was not simply to write another chapter of this story, but to finish it. With that in mind, I am already working on the final chapter(s).

* * *

Bilbo was gone for about an hour, and Frodo and Sam simply sat in silence. They were each absorbed in their own thoughts and memories of the doctor. When Bilbo returned, he told them it appeared that Doctor Tibon had been reading, fell asleep, and passed away peacefully.

"Would you mind it if Sam and I went for a walk?" Frodo asked his uncle. "To clear our heads and just think about what's happened . . ."

Bilbo was a bit reluctant, but knew that death was something that had a large impact on others, so he agreed.

The two began walking, and remained silent for a while. Frodo knew it must have been terrible for Sam to have been the one to find Doctor Tibon.

"Did he have any family that you know of?" Frodo asked.

"I know he has a brother that lives a bit south of Hobbiton," Sam replied. "He's a doctor, too." Sam gave a small chuckle. "Doctor Tibon would talk about how they were always trying to be better than each other."

"Have you ever met him?" Frodo asked curiously.

"No, he didn't come round very often," Sam sighed. "I suppose he'll probably be comin' round a bit more now that he'll be doctorin' us."

"I suppose you're right," Frodo replied, as they found themselves passing the doctors front door. Sam's father was still there, along with a number of other hobbits. Hamfast had a piece of paper in his hand, and he was holding onto it as if it were rather important.

"Frodo," Hamfast called him over. "Would you be so kind as to go and show this to your uncle?" he asked, giving Frodo the paper. "It's a letter we found. As we were putting away the book Doctor Tibon was reading, it fell out of the pages." Frodo was curious as to what the letter said that made it so important. However, he quickly agreed, and hurried back home. Sam accompanied him, as he didn't want to stay at the doctors smial.

Upon reaching Bag End, Frodo was just about ready to open the door, when he found that Sam was also curious as to what the letter said.

"Don't you want to know what that says?" Sam asked. "Before giving it to Bilbo . . ."

"And then he'll probably rush off . . ." Frodo added.

"To take care of something important . . ." Sam continued.

"Before telling us what's going on," Frodo finished. He had to smile at the fact the he and Sam shared the same thought. Curiosity got the better of him; Frodo agreed with Sam. After all, it wouldn't hurt to give the letter a quick read. He and Sam crouched down by the door, and Frodo read the letter to Sam.

_Dear Grandall,_

_Last week, I told you I did not want you to be my apprentice anymore. Well, at least for the time being. I did not say it would be permanent, because I did not want you to give up your dream of being a doctor._

_Truthfully, you have great potential. I have been in the planning for you to go down and become my brothers' apprentice. You may be wondering why you can no longer learn from me. It is not because I no longer want to teach you._

_I have been experiencing a number of personal health problems lately. I had my suspicions as to what might be wrong with me, but I have been down to get my brothers' opinion, as well. Simply put, I am dying. I was not sure how to tell you, as I knew you would want to stay here and help me get along with what time I have left. Within a few weeks, I will most likely have passed on. I do not wish for people to know. I simply want to continue to do my job for as long as I can._

_I am sorry that I became angry with you because of what happened with the Baggins lad. I was frustrated at the time. Next time you came round, I wanted to apologize, but I have not seen you since. I fear I may not see you and get the chance to tell you all of this, which is why I am writing this letter. If I cannot tell you in person, I still want you to know the truth._

_I repeat, you have great potential. My brother will be expecting you as soon as you wish to go._

_Wishing you the best,_

_Daniel_

Sam had tears in his eyes, and Frodo felt as if perhaps everything would be alright after all. In that moment, he felt happy for Grandall. If only they could find him to deliver the letter.

"Frodo," Bilbo called as he opened the door. Frodo had been leaning against the door, so he was shocked as his support suddenly left, and he went crashing into Bag End. Frodo looked up at Bilbo sheepishly, having been caught in the act of reading the letter. He handed the paper to Bilbo and waited to see what he would do.

* * *

The funeral was well attended, as everyone, of course, knew the doctor, and would certainly miss him. Grandall had not been in touch, and no one knew where he might be. Everyone had hoped he would show up to the funeral so Bilbo could give him the letter and the good news of his new apprenticeship. Their hopes were in vain; he did not attend.

Heading back to Bag End, Bilbo put the letter away. He wanted to keep it safe in case he ever did come across Grandall.

"This story is over, isn't it?" Frodo asked, following Bilbo into his study. Frodo sighed, "I wish it would have had a happy ending."

"Perhaps our part in this story is over," Bilbo comforted him. "But not for Grandall, for he is the hero of his own story."

"Or maybe our part won't be over until we can deliver the good news?" Frodo asked hopefully.

"Perhaps," Bilbo smiled, encouraged a bit by Frodo's enthusiasm. "Until then, we must keep living life so that we can create our own stories."

"With happy endings," Frodo stated firmly.

"Hopefully," Bilbo laughed, and patted Frodo on the back. "Not all endings are happy, but life is what we make of it. We can choose to be unhappy, or we can make the best of unpleasant situations."

"You mean like when the Sackville-Baggins' come around," Frodo cracked a smile, knowing how much Bilbo hated those encounters.

"Yes . . . er . . ." Bilbo stammered, then chuckled. "Exactly."

* * *

To be continued... very soon... already working on it...

Want a preview? Two of our favorite mischievous hobbits (*ahem* a Brandybuck and a Took *ahem*) will FINALLY make an appearance in this story!

Not much of a preview... but... can't give too much away... :)


	17. Second Attempt

A/N: Wow! Two chapters in two days! What's gotten into me? Haha, told you I planned on finally finishing this story. :)

* * *

Another year passed, and Frodo was once again hoping to celebrate the anniversary of the day he had come to live with Bilbo. During that year, it had been hard on Hobbiton to have only one doctor now, instead of two, especially during the winter months when everyone seemed to come down with all the common illnesses. However, they had managed.

"You don't want to go to the lake again, do you?" Bilbo asked. "After what happened last year?"

"Look, Bilbo," Frodo pointed upwards. "Not a cloud in the sky. Besides, Sam is coming this time, as well." In honor of a friendship that was still growing stronger, Frodo had wanted to invite Sam along to enjoy the day. "Also," Frodo continued. "Last year, it was supposed to be a good, perfect day, and as you know, it was ruined. Which means, this year, we should make it perfect!"

Whenever Frodo was so enthusiastic, Bilbo had a hard time denying his wishes, even on days like today when he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He shook it off, however, as being simply the memory of last year, and how their special day had taken a terrible turn.

"Alright, alright, go get Sam, and then we'll head off," Bilbo smiled, and Frodo ran out the door.

Truthfully, Bilbo had a surprise for Frodo, but they would have to go to town first, before heading out on their picnic. Bilbo started packing the picnic basket, intentionally leaving a few items out so they would have a reason to go into town. It didn't take long, and he was just heading to the door to meet Frodo on the lane, when he heard a scream from outside.

He ran outside and almost started laughing. His surprise for Frodo must have gotten tired of waiting. Merry and Pippin were standing over Frodo, who had apparently fallen over, and Sam was kneeling next to him to make sure he was alright.

"What did you have to throw that stone for?" Frodo asked angrily.

"What's this?" Pippin asked Merry innocently. "We come all the way up here to visit him, and he's upset with us." The two turned back to Frodo, their faces shining with innocence.

Frodo couldn't help but laugh, and as soon as Sam helped him up, Sam gave a small smile, though only not to seem too upset. Truthfully he was still a bit bothered at the fact that Merry and Pippin had pulled the prank which had resulted in Frodo taking a tumble.

Bilbo continued to laugh at the four lads. They had such different personalities, and yet they all seemed to get on so well. Now that he no longer needed to go into town to get Merry and Pippin, Bilbo hurried back inside and filled the picnic basket with everything he had left out. Not two minutes later, he met the lads at the door, and they set off on their picnic.

* * *

"Come on, Sam," Merry urged. "Swimmin' is not so hard."

Sam, however, was wary of the water, and refused to even dip his feet in. Normally, he would have no problem with simply wading up to his knees. However, today, he knew, if he was anywhere close, Merry and Pippin would pull him in.

Merry and Pippin were splashing around playfully, making enough noise to keep any animals from coming to enjoy a cool drink. There was a tree near the bank, with a branch extending out over the water. Frodo was seated on this branch, letting the tips of his toes lightly brush the water, and Bilbo was lying in the grass, relaxing on the other side of the tree.

"Come on, Sam," Frodo called out. "It's not that hard, just climb up."

Sam was not much impressed with the idea of climbing a tree, even if the branch was quite low. Still, the option of climbing the tree with Frodo was better than swimming with Merry and Pippin.

"Come on, Merry," Pippin smiled mischievously. "Let's help him up." The two left the water and began helping Sam climb the tree. Sam didn't help much, he kept struggling and placing his weight on too small of branches which kept snapping. Finally, after quite the effort, Sam sat down next to Frodo and they both shared a laugh.

"Now how will I get back down?" Sam questioned. The thought was present, but he wasn't ready to worry about it until it was time to get back down.

"Guess you'll just have to jump in the water," Pippin smirked.

"What-no-but-" Sam stammered, then realized he really would have to jump if they would not help him back down. He gave out a frustrated, "Oh . . ." as the others burst out laughing.

Frodo nudged Sam and winked, having a trick of his own to play.

"I wonder how high you can climb," Frodo taunted. "Not very high, I expect."

"What are you talkin' about?" Merry responded.

"Yeah, we can climb all the way to the top," Pippin said enthusiastically.

They began their climb, and Frodo stood up and stepped around Sam, climbed down, then held his hand out to help Sam get down. Sam still wasn't sure what was going on, but was relieved he wouldn't have to jump in the water to get out of the tree. Frodo and Sam walked away so they could better see the progress Merry and Pippin were making.

"What are you doing?" Bilbo asked, aware that there was some tomfoolery happening, but unsure as to what.

"They're climbing the tree," Sam replied happily, although he had no idea, either, as to why Frodo had wanted them to climb.

"And when they reach the top, we're going to be hiding," Frodo smiled, almost dancing with glee. It was not too often Frodo could manage to trick Merry and Pippin into anything, and when he was able to, then he had to enjoy the feeling while it lasted.

"Almost there," they heard Merry yell from somewhere near the top.

"Me, too," yelled Pippin.

"Where is everyone?" Merry called out, indicating he must have looked down, but that still didn't stop him from reaching his goal.

Frodo and Sam hurried into the edge of some nearby trees and waited for Merry and Pippin to come out of the tree, perplexed as to why no one was there. Bilbo went back to where he had been relaxing, and pretended to be sleeping; he didn't want to be caught in the middle of whatever was going on.

From their distance, Frodo and Sam could hear muttering. Merry and Pippin were talking amongst themselves. They were wondering where Frodo and Sam were. A bit satisfied, Frodo and Sam both chuckled. However, the moment they were waiting for was when Merry and Pippin climbed out of the tree. They wanted to see the curious looks on their faces when they didn't see either Frodo or Sam anywhere around.

The wait seemed to take forever, but finally, Merry jumped down off the lowest branch and was soon followed by Pippin.

The wait was worth it. Merry and Pippin both looked confused, and Frodo and Sam both broke out in laughter.

"Ow!" Sam exclaimed, his laughter short-lived. "Ow!" he cried again.

"Ow!" Frodo had a sudden feeling as if something had just burned his hand. His attention was turned to a faint buzzing. "Bees!" he exclaimed, panicking. He had not been burned, he had been stung! He looked around and saw a bee hive not too far above their heads. "Run, Sam!"

* * *

One more chapter left, I'm thinking... perhaps two, but definitely no more. Most likely just one, though, we'll see how the plot wants me to write it. :)


End file.
